


Visiting

by atwas



Category: Call of Cthulhu: Path of Perdition (Web Series), Internet Remix, Rolling with Remix: Masks of Nyarlathotep (Web Series)
Genre: Canon Compliant, During Time-Skip, M/M, Post-Path of Perdition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:55:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28982958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atwas/pseuds/atwas
Summary: A visit to Germany in which we encounter:- Kit Sullivan demonstrating himself to be a Perfectly Functional human being- Sunil Pandey realizing that Kit is, in fact, a Complete Disaster- The Worst Couch in Berlin
Relationships: Sunil Pandey & Kit Sullivan, Sunil Pandey/Kit Sullivan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	Visiting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cresstionmark](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cresstionmark/gifts).



* * *

Kit paced along the jetty in Hamburg with his pocket watch in hand, and an ache in his heart. The Elbe was calm, and the early morning mist skimmed over the water. The street-lights were still on, and they cast everything in a warm orange glow as the city waited for the sun to rise. He stopped and leaned against the railing, tapping an erratic pattern against the wood with his fingers. He checked his watch again, then squinted over to the clock on the dock building, then back to his own watch. With a sigh and great effort, he put away his pocket watch; and instead, he gazed out across the river, towards the sea.

Kit alternated between waiting and pacing for about two hours before the ship finally arrived. As the passengers began to disembark, he stood farther back on the wharf and carefully scanned the crowd.

"Kit!" Sunil waved down at him from the top of the gangplank, and Kit felt his stomach twist into a knot. Kit raised a hand in response before moving carefully through the crowd.

The two of them met at the bottom of the walkway; but Sunil deftly picked his way through the throng of passengers until the two of them were farther away from the group. Kit followed, obviously relieved to have some space so that they could properly greet one another.

"How was your voyage?"

Sunil set down his suitcase and swayed a little. Kit put a hand on his shoulder to steady him. "It was alright. A day's journey is practically nothing." Sunil paused, then looked up at Kit. "I didn't expect to meet you in Hamburg."

Kit gave a little half-shrug and grabbed Sunil's suitcase. "I know. But I also know that you don't speak German."

"I would have managed just fine."

Kit tilted his head a little so he could better see Sunil, who had fallen into step on his right as they walked down the jetty and towards the port. "I know you would have."

"Wait. Since when can you speak German?"

Kit raised an eyebrow. "I've picked up a few things here and there. I have been living here for a year or so now."

Sunil tugged the brim of his hat down a little. "It's really been that long, then."

Kit nodded. "Sometimes it doesn't feel like it."

"Probably because you were in London only a few months ago."

"Probably." Kit led them away from the port and into Hamburg proper. He glanced at his watch. "We have time before our train leaves. I know a place with great schnitzel--"

"--you already got train tickets?"

Kit paused. "Yes?"

Sunil sighed. "You didn't have to go to all that trouble."

Kit glanced away. "It's no trouble at all." He looked back over to Sunil. "I don't get visitors really, so it's..." Kit trailed off after seeing Sunil's expression. "I just wanted to make sure you got in alright."

"Well." Sunil did his best to not look concerned. "Well, I appreciate it."

Kit smiled. "We're only a few blocks away. There's plenty of time."

* * *

The train ride from Hamburg to Berlin was, thankfully, only four hours. The two of them sat next to each other, with Sunil at the window, watching the German countryside fly past. The line ran along the Elbe for a while, before the scenery gave way to fields and dark forests.

The train arrived in Berlin as evening fell, and the two of them were greeted by the first lights of the city as they stepped out onto the platform of the Anhalter Bahnhof station. Sunil looked up at the massive arched facade of the building, and the huge paned glass windows. He stepped back a bit, staggered by the scale of the building, and held his hat to his head with one hand.

Kit led them through the station. As they walked, Sunil caught the eye of a few young men who stood together at one of the platforms. One of them winked and blew a kiss at him, to which Sunil responded by averting his eyes quickly and walking a bit faster to catch up with Kit. Right. This was Berlin. He was in Berlin right now. He felt a warm flush spread across his face. He should have expected this-- it's not like the city didn't have a reputation for a reason. He tugged the brim of his hat a little lower over his face as he remembered how his mother reacted when he told her about his trip.

Kit, seemingly instinctively, slowed down a fraction so that the two of them stepped in sync. It didn't seem like he noticed Sunil's reaction, or the street-walkers, at all.

"My apartment is about a mile and a half west from here, in Nollendorfplatz. But, I can get you set up in a hotel close by--"

"Oh, I wouldn't mind staying at your place." Sunil paused for a moment. "That is, if you're alright with that, of course." he added hastily.

"Of course I am. Alright with that, I mean." Kit smiled hesitantly, then turned his attention to the street to hail a car.

* * *

It was Sunil's first time seeing Kit's home. He had accepted that Kit was just the type of man who valued his privacy, which was true, but now he felt like he actually understood why Kit was so hesitant whenever the subject of visiting was brought up.

Kit's apartment was spartan at best, and empty at worst. Kit had insisted on taking Sunil's coat and luggage, which left Sunil standing awkwardly in what he supposed passed as a living room. There was a small bookshelf that doubled as an end-table, a radio, and possibly the ugliest couch Sunil had seen in his life. The thing was mustard coloured, with stripes that fell somewhere between peach and salmon. It was impressively dreadful.

Kit shrugged off his own coat and hung it on the rack, next to a familiar long case. Sunil put his hands in his pockets and shifted from foot to foot.

"Well, it's not much, but it's something." Kit half-heartedly gestured to the rest of the apartment. It was small. Aside from the 'Living Room', there was a bathroom, a kitchen/dining room, and a single bedroom. The dining area was nothing more than a card table and a single chair. The table had a folded up piece of paper under one leg, presumably to stabilize it. The window above the table had no curtains, and opened out to a view of the brick building next door.

Sunil looked around the apartment, and then gave Kit a concerned look, not trying at all to hide it this time around. Kit folded his arms, suddenly very self-conscious of exactly what this all looked like; and aware of what that implied. Sunil moved over to Kit and gently put a hand on his arm. Sunil felt Kit tense under his touch, and then relax.

"It's fine." Sunil said, peering up at Kit. Kit had turned away slightly, as if to shield the ruined side of his face from view. "Really."

Kit looked down at Sunil, and the expression on his face softened. "Alright. Sure, if you say so." He took a step back, and Sunil let his arm fall. "It's a bit cramped, but the bedroom is yours for the night."

Sunil blinked. "Where are you going to sleep then?"

The two of them simultaneously looked to the couch, and Sunil winced. Kit tilted his head. "It's really not that bad."

Sunil looked up at Kit incredulously. Kit met his gaze for the first time since they stepped inside and shrugged. "Kit, I'm pretty sure I can see the springs in that thing."

"I've slept in worse."

"Kit, I'm not going to make you sleep on _that_ couch in your own home."

"Sunil, I have literally slept on rocks and mud. It's no trouble."

"Well you shouldn't have to!" Sunil stared Kit down. Kit rocked back on his heels slightly, not expecting the steely resolve in Sunil's eyes.

Kit sighed. "Sunil, please. You're my guest."

At this point, Sunil had made up his mind. "Kit Sullivan, so help me, I am not taking the only bed in this apartment."

"Well neither am I." Kit narrowed his eyes slightly.

They stared at each other, both too stubborn to concede defeat. There was a silence, and then the two of them both looked once more at what had to be the worst couch in the entirety of Berlin.

* * *

The lights of Berlin cast sharp shadows on the wall of the small bedroom, and the noises of the night-life faded into a pleasant background hum.

Sunil and Kit were both on the floor. They had taken the pillows and blanket from the bed, but neither one of them wanted to be the first to give up. Sunil stared up at the ceiling, trying his best not to look at Kit from the corner of his eye. As far as he could tell, Kit wasn't looking at him at all either. The lights from outside played across the ceiling, and a car passed by on the street.

"You really need some curtains." Sunil turned his head to look at Kit. The light from outside cast the scars on Kit's face into sharp relief. After a moment of silence, Sunil saw the smallest of smiles tug at the corner of Kit's mouth.

"I suppose I do." Kit rolled onto his side so he could look directly at Sunil. The scarred side of his face fell into darkness once more, leaving only the left side illuminated. Sunil looked at Kit, and it felt like he was seeing someone he never had before-- like he was seeing a ghost of the man that Kit Sullivan could have once been. Sunil studied Kit's face. His nose. The way his hair fell across his forehead. The way the light spilled across his cheekbone. The tired shadows under his eyes. The tenderness with which Kit looked at him-- something Sunil had only caught glimpses of before, when Kit thought he wasn't being watched.

Sunil closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He looked at Kit through half-lidded eyes, wanting to take the opportunity to observe as much as he could. "I've got no idea how you could possibly manage to sleep on the floor like this." Sunil murmured softly, shifting against the hard, wooden floor. Sunil saw Kit move, and prop himself up on one elbow. His eyes were soft as he looked down at Sunil, and there was a faint smile on his lips. He looked 5 years younger, and Sunil was suddenly struck with the knowledge of how young Kit really was. Just a year older than himself.

Kit gave a raspy hum, and Sunil saw him ghost his hand over the blanket-- pulling the edge of it up slightly, to cover the both of them more. "It's an acquired skill." Kit said softly, his voice barely louder than a whisper. Sunil felt the blanket move as Kit settled back down.

Sunil smiled despite himself, and shifted so that he was laying on his side. He opened his eyes, and found himself practically nose to nose with Kit. Kit's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't move or flinch away. For a moment, the two of them lay there, and Sunil felt suddenly self-conscious under Kit's scrutiny. "Well," Sunil whispered. "It's a skill I unfortunately lack."

The corners of Kit's eyes crinkled into a smile. "There is a bed less than a foot away from us, Sunil."

Sunil narrowed his eyes a fraction. "Indeed there is, Dr. Sullivan."

"A completely empty bed."

"I'm aware." Sunil had no intention of backing off now. He had made a commitment, and he was in too deep to allow Kit to get the upper hand-- no matter how uncomfortable and how cold the floor was.

Kit closed his eyes for a moment, as though lost in thought. "So neither one of us is going to give up."

"No."

Kit nodded ever so slightly, eyes still closed, with his nose so close to Sunil's that they were almost touching. "Would you be willing to entertain a compromise?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"We could continue our feud here, on the floor. Or, we could both agree to move our disagreement to the bed."

Sunil, whose hip bone was starting to ache, considered it for a moment; then sat up. "Seems agreeable enough to me."

Kit sat up and stiffly got to his feet before extending a hand to help Sunil off the floor. "I think I have a few extra blankets here somewhere. It's cold."

While Kit sorted through his dresser, Sunil returned the pillows and blanket to their proper places. "I thought we would be down there all night." Sunil smoothed the blanket out over the linens with his hands.

Kit returned with a duvet, and spread it over the bed. "Just because I can sleep almost anywhere, doesn't mean I want to." Kit gestured to the bed. "Well, a compromise is a compromise."

Sunil got into bed, on the opposite side from where he had been on the floor. The right side of the room seemed a little darker, even without any curtains or blinds being up. "A compromise is a compromise." Sunil agreed, and patted the space next to him. "So you'd better keep to it."

Kit sighed and settled in on the left half of the bed, then turned so that he was once more on his side, facing Sunil. "You have my word as an officer and a gentleman. I will not sneak off in the middle of the night to go sleep on that awful couch instead."

"Good. That couch really is atrocious." Sunil moved so that he was laying on his side, once more facing Kit. This time, the light played over the scarred side of Kit's face-- creating deep shadows and valleys. His eye was slightly sunken in, and obscured almost completely by the darkness. It was harder to read him, but Sunil could see faint lines of concern on his face-- in the slant of his eyebrow, and the slight quirk of his mouth. "You're sure this is alright?"

Kit nodded faintly, and made a small sound of agreement.

"Alright." Sunil looked at Kit, meeting his gaze. Kit's eyes shifted away, but he did not draw back or move any further away. Sunil tilted his head slightly before coming to the dawning realization that it wasn't them being so near to each other that was making Kit uncomfortable, like he had assumed-- it was the fact that Sunil was looking at him so closely.

Sunil frowned. Come to think of it, Kit never seemed to mind their proximity to one another. He knew that Kit didn't like being touched, and avoided it as much as possible; even while riding in the back of a truck through the freezing Chihuahuan desert, Kit preferred to shiver on his own, apart from everyone else. But when the two of them were alone, it was different. He always allowed Sunil to close the distance between the two of them. On impulse, Sunil brought his hand out from under the blanket-- but froze before reaching out.

Kit made a soft inquiring noise.

Sunil reached out with his hand, but stopped before he got too close. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. "May I?" he asked, in a voice barely above a whisper.

Kit took a sharp breath and looked at Sunil's outstretched hand, then gave Sunil a small nod and closed his eyes. "Yes," he said, almost inaudibly.

Sunil reached out, and gently put his hand on Kit's scarred cheek. He felt Kit tremble slightly beneath his fingers, and then felt him go still.

"Is this still alright?"

"Yes," Kit said faintly, his eyes still closed.

Sunil ghosted his fingers over Kit's scars-- following them across his forehead and nose, then gently around his eye before moving to where the skin stretched across his cheek. The scars were much smoother than he imagined they would be. He traced the outline of Kit's ear, before gently following the line of his jaw and resting his hand on the curve where his neck met his shoulder. The scars spidered out beyond that, spreading down his neck and onto his shoulder and chest. Sunil had never noticed that before. He could feel Kit's pulse jumping quickly against his fingertips. It felt like his own heart was beating a matching rhythm-- rabbit-fast inside his chest.

Kit had opened his eyes, and now searched Sunil's face with sudden intensity. Sunil felt Kit's voice rumble under his hand. "You don't mind?"

Sunil gently ran his thumb against Kit's jaw, and the look in Kit's eyes was replaced by something else entirely. Something small and vulnerable. Sunil's chest tightened. "No. Not at all."

"Alright." Kit relaxed slightly under Sunil's touch.

"What does it feel like?" Sunil followed a ridge of scar from the bridge of Kit's nose to his cheek.

Kit hummed and thought about it for a moment. "My nerves don't work quite right. I can tell you're touching me, but I can't really feel it. Not in the way I'd want to."

"I'm sorry."

Kit shrugged. "It's fine. You couldn't really have known."

Sunil traced the edge of Kit's scars-- the line where they met the un-damaged skin on the other side. Kit closed his eyes. "I didn't really know either," he said softly.

It took a moment for the implication to register with Sunil. His fingers trembled a little bit.

Neither one of them spoke. Kit hesitantly reached up with his own hand, and put it over Sunil's.

Kit's hand was larger than his own, and warm. 

Sunil shivered, suddenly reminded of how cold he was. Kit squeezed his hand, then let go. Sunil took his hand back, away from Kit's face.

"I'm not really sure why I did that." Sunil said without thinking. "I guess I've been curious for a while, but never had the courage to ask."

"Mm." Kit's voice was sleepy, and his eyes were still closed. "Only took you travelling all the way to Berlin, I guess."

Sunil turned over, and burrowed deeper under the covers. Kit had assured him earlier that the building had a furnace, but now he wasn't so sure that was true. "I don't know how you can deal with barely having any heat. It's freezing."

Sunil felt Kit shift a little behind him. "Boston's a lot colder than London. I'm used to it."

Sunil huffed in response.

There was a pause. Sunil felt Kit move a bit closer to him. "May I?"

Instead of answering, Sunil moved so that he and Kit were touching. Kit's chest was warm against his back.

Kit tentatively wrapped an arm around Sunil. "Still alright?" he asked.

"Yes." Sunil's heart hammered in his chest as Kit pulled him close and held him. Slowly, the tension and the chill left his body.

Kit made a small, content noise. The rough edges of his voice were like a purr right next to Sunil's ear.

The two fell asleep together, staving off the cold of the world outside.

* * *

"Kit, do you really not have any food in the house other than coffee and this gin?"

"There... should be tea and sugar in the cupboard. No, the one on the left. Yeah, that one."

"I don't know if that counts as having food."

"I think there were some apples in the fridge."

"One apple. Singular. It was behind the gin."

"..."

"Kit."

"I forgot to get groceries before I left to go meet you."

"Somehow, I don't believe you."

"There's actually a really good café a few blocks from here."

"You can't change the subject on me that easily, Kit Sullivan."

"Not for lack of trying."

"...How are its pastries?"

"Excellent. Besides, it's your first time in Berlin, so you are legally required to try some Pfannkuchen."

"Fine. But we are getting groceries on the way back, and we are cooking dinner. And I mean actually cooking. You do know how to cook, right?"

"There's no need to give me that look! Yes, yes I can cook. I just... don't do it very often."

"Sometimes you really do concern me, you know that, right?"

"That's... fair. So. Shall we?"

"We shall."

The two left the apartment together.


End file.
